Planning Our Ideal Summer Holiday

I’m one of those people who really feels the cold… I mean, really feels the cold. Around this time of year I usually have a scarf on and hood up at all times, and when I’m not planning ridiculous Christmassy type things, I’m thinking about somewhere hot I can go for my next holiday.

I’d love to take S away on a wonderful, warm and sunny beach holiday. I’ve been to Spain many times, but this time I’d love to go somewhere a little different.

This beach in Corfu looks brilliant; not only are there miles of sand but also the pool there looks like it’s a fairly good size for splashing in!

Or there’s this beach in Mexico – gorgeous! Look at the colour of that sea! S would love splashing about in that all day, I’m sure.

This one in Tenerife looks amazing; I love that there are two pools, and so close to the sea as well!

S loves the water, whether she’s in the bath or shower, swimming or in the sea – the novelty just doesn’t wear off. I’d love to be able to take her on regular holidays abroad where she can enjoy soaking up some much-needed Vitamin D while playing in the sand and splashing in the sea.

When I was little we went on day trips to Bournemouth beach, but I had never been on holiday to a beach resort until I was 24 and went to Fuerteventura with my boyfriend. I fell in love with the idea of just rolling out of bed in the morning and spending the day on the beach or by the pool. I don’t want S to be 24 before she goes on a beach holiday; I want to do it next year!

Here are 5 things to look for when booking a beach holiday:

Distance from beach: It’s easy to book a cheap beach holiday and find yourself an hour’s walk from the beach! Always check how far the hotel is from the beach, and if possible look at a map to see how far it is – and whether walking there involves crossing large roads etc.

Is there a pool: Some days you just want to laze about by the pool so check whether your chosen hotel has one, and what size it is. It can be hard to think of how big a pool might be so I find it useful to Google something like “what is 10 metres long” – you’ll usually find someone else has asked that question, and there’s been an answer comparing it to the size of a football pitch or table top!

Reviews: Google the hotel name, and read reviews on several different sites. Be aware that one or two bad reviews may have come from travellers who are just impossible to please, and that one or two five-star reviews may have come from company employees. Instead, read a wide range of reviews and see if they agree on the main points: is the hotel clean, are the staff helpful?

Area: aside from how close you are to the beach, is your hotel in a “nice” area of town? You don’t want to rock up with your kids and buckets and spades, and find that you’re staying in the red light district or the business district of town!

How will you get there from the airport? Silly question, but the last thing you want to do is get off the plane in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, and try to organise hiring a car or getting a taxi. Best to arrange it before you leave, with a reputable company.

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